Learn API Technical Writing 2: REST for Writers

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About This Course

Published 6/2015
English

Course Description

This is the second in a series of courses for technical writers who want to learn how to write API documentation. The first course is called "Learn API Technical Writing: JSON and XML for Writers", and it is recommended that you first take that course, unless you are very familiar with JSON and XML, and how to document them.

This course teaches how to document REST APIs. No programming experience is required, but technical writers with programming experience who want to know more about REST APIs will still find it useful.

What are APIs?

APIs (Application Program Interfaces) define how software systems talk to each other, and API documentation is a rapidly growing field. There is a strong need for writers who can understand APIs and explain them so that software developers can understand how to use them. API writers get to be in on the cutting edge of technology in high-paying positions.

What is REST?

REST (Representational State Transfer) is a popular style of web API, and it's used to communicate data between devices and servers. Different data is contained in different parts of the API requests and responses, and this course explains what those different parts are and how to document them.

What is in This Course?

By the end of the course, you will understand what REST is and how to read and document REST requests and responses. In this course you'll find:

12 videos that:

Provide background information on REST APIs

Break down REST requests into their various pieces with examples

Show real-time, narrated writing of REST documentation

Provide overviews of authentication and authorization for REST

7 hands-on exercises to lead you through making and documenting REST requests

7 short quizzes to keep you on your toes

PowerPoint presentations as a resource for every video lecture

A Microsoft Word document you can use as a template for REST reference material

The course takes approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes to complete, depending on how fast you are with the exercises.

What are the requirements?

Students should have either taken the Udemy course "Learn API Technical Writing: JSON and XML for Writers" or else be very familiar with how to document JSON and XML.

You will need a Word Processor (such as MS Word, Apple Pages, or Google docs). The Chrome browser is recommended for some of the exercises.

What am I going to get from this course?

Understand the basics of how REST works.

Understand the basics of authentication and authorization.

Create reference documentation for REST requests.

What is the target audience?

This course is designed for technical writers with experience writing end-user documentation and want to learn how to write API documentation. No prior programming or REST is required, but knowledge of JSON and XML is required.

This course is also helpful for technical writers with programming experience who want details on best practices for documenting REST.

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Instructor Biography

Peter founded SDK Bridge to bring together his love of technology and writing. After 10 years as a software developer, he learned the skill of API writing at Microsoft. Since then, he has worked as an API writer to describe APIs for eCommerce, automobile traffic prediction, electric utilities, mobile phones, and tractors, just to name a few. In addition to API and SDK documentation, he creates video tutorials for software developer audiences. Peter received his BA in Physics from the University of Chicago and his PhD in Applied Physics from Stanford University.